Pietersen set for Surrey duty

Kevin Pietersen is set to play his first match since being dropped by England for the Lord's Test when Surrey take on his old club Hampshire in the CB40 this weekend.

Pietersen was left out of the ongoing third Investec Test after his contract wrangles with the England and Wales Cricket Board were complicated by the text messages he sent to opposition players during the drawn match against South Africa at Headingley.

He was ruled unavailable for Surrey's LV= County Championship match at home to Middlesex, which started on Wednesday, and reportedly went on a short holiday abroad with his family.

The mercurial South Africa-born batsman has apologised to England for the texts, without divulging their specific content, and it is thought his international career will remain on hold until negotiations with the ECB are concluded.